North Bay flavour for Royals at GMHL draft

The Temiscaming Royals stayed fairly close to home as the new Greater Metro Junior Hockey League franchise drafted seven North Bay area players on the weekend. It was the Junior “A” leagues second annual draft which included a free agent camp, evaluation and the draft itself as members from the 12 franchises got together in Shelbourne, Ontario for the event.

The Royals took North Bay Trappers forward Chris Hebert with the franchises’ first pick. The forward notched 10 goals and added 20 assists in 30 games this year with the Great North Midget League team.

“He is a goal scorer,” said Temiscaming Royals head coach and general manager Steve McCharles from the Royals draft war room in Shelbourne Sunday afternoon.

“He’s young and we have to make him work to become a complete player but he’s got lots of upside.”

McCharles stayed local with the third pick as well taking the Great North Midget League MVP Joel Senecal.

McCharles believes Senecal can be a key contributor to the Royals but he will have to continue to improve his skating skills.

“He’s a big and strong and he can shoot the puck and I think there’s a lot we can pull out of Joel Senecal. We feel he has more to offer but we don’t think he’s developed to his potential,” said McCharles.

McCharles also took a gamble later on snatching Senecal’s linemate Tyler Hummel with their sixth round selection.

Hummel has shown interest in staying in North Bay to play alongside his brother Brad Hummel with the North Bay Skyhawks.

“I realize we took a chance (with Hummel), but we didn’t want to see him chosen by another team in our league,” admitted McCharles, who says he informed the Hummel family before the draft that they intended on selecting him.

Other locals that were selected include former Trappers and Blind River Beavers goalie Andre Laperriere with their 4th round pick, Algonquin Barons forward Corey Marquardt (brother of Matt Marquardt) in the 7th round, Trappers forward Nick Huard in the 8th round and the Royals rounded out the draft by picking North Bay Bantam AAA Blades underage defenceman Pascale Seguin with their final pick in the 10th round.

For Huard it was likely a refreshing feeling hearing that he was drafted this weekend. The crafty forward who recorded 49 points in 36 regular season games with the Trappers was on the OHL draft list but did not get selected.

McCharles believes Huard is a perfect fit for the Royals.

"He’s young and has incredible smarts," said McCharles.

"I don’t know how big he will get but I think Nick may be a real prime candidate to play a couple seasons here and then get a U.S. college scholarship."

The Junior "A" league which includes the Nipissing Alouettes (based out of Sturgeon Falls) has expanded from seven teams last year to 12 this season. McCharles says close to 30 players from the non-sanctioned league received U.S. college hockey scholarships while another 19 players were invited as free agents to Ontario Hockey League camps.

Temiscaming Royals Picks

1. Chris Hebert - forward - North Bay Trappers
2. Kevin Wierda - goalie - Hamilton Midget AAA
3. Joel Senecal - forward - North Bay Trappers
4. Andre Laperriere - goalie - Blind River Beavers (NOJHL)
5. Dustin Roy - forward - Kirkland Lake 87's
6. Tyler Hummel - forward - North Bay Trappers
7. Corey Marquardt - forward - Algonquin Barons
8. Nick Huard - forward - North Bay Trappers
9. Ryan Ellis - defence - Cambridge Minor Midget AAA
10.Pascale Seguin - defence - North Bay Bantam AAA Blades